Reaching At-Risk Girls with Hope with May-Lee Melki

Apr 22, 2025

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

“Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; uphold the rights of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” - Psalm 82:3–4

As followers of Christ, we’re called to advocate for the vulnerable and protect the oppressed. One of the most urgent needs today is among girls and young women in Lebanon. May-Lee Melki joins us with a powerful story of hope and a way you can make a difference.

May-Lee Melki is a Lebanese-American advocate, legal scholar, and ministry leader dedicated to advancing justice and holistic transformation in the Middle East. She serves as the Strategic Engagement Manager at Heart for Lebanon, an underwriter of Faith and Finance.

The Crisis Behind the Headlines

In a society shaped by shame-and-honor dynamics, without a biblical understanding of human dignity, refugee girls—especially Bedouin and Kurdish—are often seen as burdens or liabilities. Add to that multiple wars, a collapsed economy, and weak legal protections, and the danger becomes tragically clear: girls are exploited because they’re seen as expendable.

But Heart for Lebanon is stepping in not just to rescue—but to prevent. That may sound counterintuitive until you hear stories like Ferial’s—a grandmother who joined a literacy class to model a different future for her granddaughters. After coming to know Christ through Heart for Lebanon, she said, “I can’t change what happened to my daughters, but I can change the future for my granddaughters.”

Prevention means investing in the whole family unit. It means addressing spiritual, emotional, and physical needs by offering:

Christian counseling in their native language
Non-formal education programs that integrate biblical values
Safe, holistic discipleship environments for moms, dads, and children
Community development rooted in the Gospel

One of the most moving examples is Alima, a 10-year-old enrolled in Heart for Lebanon’s Hope Education Program. Her mother, under cultural and financial pressure, began pushing Alima to abandon school and enter into marriage. But because of the truth Alima had learned through Heart for Lebanon—truth about Jesus and her God-given worth—she found the courage to push back.

Her bold faith not only protected her from child marriage but, through prayer and persistence, led to her mother’s salvation as well. This is the ripple effect of prevention-centered ministry.

Real Change Through Holistic Ministry

The key to sustainable impact is community transformation. The goal isn’t to isolate and remove girls from danger—which can sometimes cause more trauma—but to reshape families and communities from within through Gospel truth. When fathers, uncles, and guardians are discipled alongside mothers and daughters, entire cultural norms begin to shift.

That’s what Heart for Lebanon is doing every day—breaking cycles of violence and shame with the hope of Jesus.

Heart for Lebanon is inviting the Faith & Finance family to join them in this mission. A gift of $114 helps reach and protect three at-risk girls, offering them education, protection, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

You can give by:

Texting “FAITH” to 98656
Visiting FaithFi.com/Lebanon

Our shared goal? To introduce 500 young women and girls to Jesus and prevent the heartbreaking patterns of early marriage, child labor, and violence.

On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:

I want to buy a used tractor for our 15 acres. Can I use the interest from our high-yield savings account to purchase it?
My husband and I started generating income later than most of our peers. He did a PhD, and I've been at home with the kids. Now that he has his first job, we have a small savings account but no 401(k) or investments. We want to maximize our investments but aren't sure where to start.

Resources Mentioned:

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.